Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-12-17
EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE.
GENERAL CONFERENCE OF ALL
CHRISTIAN DENOMINATIONS,
the Leading Drift of Thought
Presented.
IREcoAD-UsroS Correspondence

Christian men since the first Christian
conference at Jerusalem. This harmonizes
with the idea expressed in the call that the
conference was convened to consider a
great crisis in the Church's position and to
ascertain, if possible, by putting many
heads together, how the danger points
might be safely passed. 1t was not de-
signed, however, that matters should be
settled in the way common at ministerial
gatherings, viz: by the passage of resolu-
tons Ia fact,
40 RESOLUTIONS WERE ADMITTED.
This was a great disappointment to those
accustomed TO put themselves on record
and who are not averse to taking hand at
the political wheel. All things considered
though, it was wise arrangement for if
doctors disagree, 50. and much more so in
the application Of remedies, do these doc
tors OF divinity.
The truth is that but for the understand
ing that the Conference was not to be asked
to commit itself in the form of resolutions.
the conservative churches of the country
could not have been induced to take part
in IT. Think, too, of the rumpus that
would have been raised in Conference
containing large Episcopalian element by
the effort to pass such advanced resolutions
as are commonly put forth at radical Meth
odist gatherings.
OF the proceedings of a BODY putting
forth matter enough daily to fill whole
pages OF the largest newspapers, all that
can be attempted in letter or two is to
INDICATE BY A FEW NOTES
And comments what was the apparent drift
OF sentiment of the topics discussed In
the opening address of President Dodge, of
the Alliance, two interesting points were
that the largest proportion of the wealth of
the country was in nominal membership in
the churches, but was, unfortunately, not
being used as it should for the advance
ment of the churches while the poor, the
largest proportion of whom never entered
places of worship, had, it was held, lust
now begun to think, not alone of their suf-
ferings and wants, but of their opportu-
mites and power. Hon. John JOY, Vice
President, had recently heard q sermon by
Bishop Potter, of New York, from tie text
1t is high time to awake" and he re-
garded the Conference as an indication that
the country was awake.
THE ADDRESS OF WELCOME
BY Bishop E. G. Andrews was charming in
both taste and diction. The Bishop. how
ever, took issue with President Cleveland.
who had informed Congress the day before
that the reduction of the tariff was the
question of greatest moment to the ma
tlon's security and prosperity, by declaring
that the paramount question was one not
of revenue, but of character, though, of
course, he intended no disrespect to his
Excellency, and did not even mention him.
The Bishop took a hopeful view of the
country's condition and warned the Con-
ference that it was possible " to so exagger-
ate dangers as to paralyze endeavor."
THE CITY AS A PERIL.
DR.. Dorchester, of Boston, the first
speaker on this theme, held that the city
was not an unmixed evil. Its perils were
in rapid growth, in the large accession OF
vicious elements, and in the heterogeneous
character of the population. In London
but one and six-tenths per cent of the pop.
ulation were born outside of Great Britain,
whereas out of total of 100000 in fifty
cities in this country, about one-half were
foreign born and the children of foreign
born parents, this vast mass of foreigners
having come from over forty different To-
calities of the Old World. The great prob
lem was, therefore, whether old-world
subjects could be made new-world citizens.
DR.. Mcpherson, of Chicago, in continuing
this theme, made brilliant speech, COM
pletely captivating the Conference. If the
nation die she would die, he said, from the
falling of at her vital centers and from
fatty degeneration of the heart The city
had always ruled in both ancient and mod
ern countries. AS went the city to-day so
would the world go. Christ's method was
to begin at jerusalem, and Paul, following
him, planted the gospel in the teemlng
populations.
In Chicago there were 10000 Bonemians
in one quarter, and there were hardly five
Evangelical ministers in the whole country
who could speak the language OF this class
The church, he said was, perhaps, not ripe
for union, but she was rotting for want OF
corporation. The remark that Chicago
was the only city that had legally sup.
pressed the Anarchists was boisterously
applauded, as was pleasant witticism to
the effect that he had found one good use
for the devil in the fact that he was told
when he settled in Chicago that the
churches there were so busy fighting his
Satanic Majesty that they had no time to
fight one another.
IMMIGRATION.
This subject was ably presented by Prof.
Hialmer H. Boyesen, of Columbia College.
The obvious deterioration in quality of the
immigrants pouring in upon the country in
such large numbers was emphasized and
explained. Another deplorable fact was
that in our public schools the children OF
these immigrants were imbued with false
ambition, being taught too much about
their rights and too little, if anything al
all, respecting their duties. The foreign
population had changed greatly of late in
its feeling toward the Government Upon
q tour of observation Is years ago he found
the emigrants in the West and Northwest
contented with their situation and friendly
to the United States, but q recent visit had
revealed widespread discomfort and il
many cases positively hatred. He did not
believe 1t TO be true any longer that no one
need starve in this country who was will.
ing 10 work. He advocated strongly and
eioquently the restriction of immigration
making the impression, though not ex.
pressing it in so many words, that be
would welcome the passage as a fair solu
ton of the problem of the bill recently in.
trodueed by Senator Palmer.
The next speaker on this subject was DIR
s. l.. Baldwin, who, though he now resides
in Boston, was for twenty years a mission,
airy to China. and is one of the shameless
friends OF the Chinese here. The restric
ton of immigration, he said. had begun al
the wrong end. 1t should have com
menced, not at the Golden Gate, but a
Sandy Hook. We exclude the industriou.
Chinese and open our doors TO the An
archist and Socialist. He wanted China
men to have the same protection here tha
Christians had almost universally in China
he had known missionary to be shielded
from death by Buddhist priest, but wher
hunted Chinaman sought refuge at RocE
Springs, Wyoming, in the house of Chris
tan minister, he was told by the ministel
he had better move on, which he did-tC
his death.
THE MISUSE OF WEALTH.
President Gates, of Rutgers College, we.
the essayist on this theme, and he was on,
of the few selected speakers who did no
read his remarks, the variation in this par.
ticular being quite enjoyable, especially a!
the speaker had his theme so well in hand
In the language of an Englishman sale
the speaker. We are too heastly prosper
Gus in this country" Industry in money.
getting could not save US that wealth wa
becoming common afforded no guaranty OF
4 prosperous commonwealth. The wealthy
who lived on what had been left them BY
their forefathers were as really psupers q:
were those supported in almshouses
Wealth did not exempt from useful indus
try, and the crying need Of the times wa
that those having wealth should use it a
the stewards of Gcd. DR.. Mailock, O
Philadelphia, thought ministers were no
so faithful as they should be in impressin,
upon rich men the duty of denying them